Portable fire-curtain.



I L. L. GOHEEN. PORTABLE FIRE CURTAIN.

. APPLICATION FILED JULY 14, 1909. 956,335, Patented Apr. 26, 1910.

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. L. L. GOHEEN.

PORTABLE FIRE CURTAIN.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 14, 1909.

956,335, Patented Apr. 26, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

L.L.GOHEEN.

PORTABLE FIRE CURTAIN.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 14, 1906. 956,335. Patented Apr. 26, 1910.

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way/165565 jhyefilar a citizen of the United States, residing LEONARD L. GOHEEN, OF SHERWOOD, NORTH DAKOTA.

PORTABLE FIRE-CURTAIN.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 26, 1910.

Application filed July 14, 1909. Serial No. 507,477.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEONARD L. GOHEEN, at. Sherwood, in the county of Ward and State of North Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Fire- Curtains; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has {pr its object to provide a portable fire appa atus 'provided with a large fire proof curtain, adapted to be interposed between burning buildings.

To the above ends, the invention consistsof the novel devices and'combinations of de-' vices hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate theinvention, like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of an improved apparatus: Fig. 2 is-a side elevation of the same with some parts broken away; Fi 3 is a side elevation of the apparatus wit a curtain thereof shown as unrolled and secured in an operative position Fig. 4 is a detail in section on a line w w of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is asection taken through a portion of the curtain on a line .72 m of Fig. 3; and Fig. 6 is a view in side elevation showing a cable support for use in connection with the curtain.

The curtain ismounted in a tower or skeleton frame work which, in turn, is-pivot ally mounted on the frame members of this carrying truck.

The numeral 1 indicates the frame or body, and the numeral 2, the wheels of the truck. The platform of the frame 1 has a large openin 3 to afford clearance for the lower end 0 the curtain-supporting tower 4. This tower is of skeleton frame and is preferably tapered slightly in a. direction from its lower toward its upper end. At its lower end, the said tower is pivotallycom nected by a shaft 5 to the frame 1 and it is adapted to be moved from an inoperative position, as shown by full lines in Fig. 2, mto an operative position, shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, and by full lines in'Figs. 1 and 3. The pivot shaft 5 is preferably slightly at the rear of the vertical axis of the said tower, and at one side near the front edge of its base, saidtower is provided with a laterally-projecting block 6 through a perforation 0 which, a lock lug 7 on the frame 1 projects when said tower is in an operative position. A pin 8, when inserted through the upwardly projecting end of the lug 7, looks the tower in its vertical or operative position.

Mounted in bearing lates 9 and 10, secured respectively in t e bottom and top plates of the tower 4, is a shaft 11, which carries a large flanged Windlass drum 12. Secured to the shaft 11 and to the drum 12, for 006 erat-ion with the lower bearing plate 9, is a hearing plate 13, between which and said plate 9, bearing balls 14 are interposed,

'asshown in Fig. 4. A fire proof curtain is secured at one end to the Windlass drum 12.

This curtain is sufficiently flexible to permit rolling thereof-u on the drum 12, and preferably it is made up of laterally spaced sheets of tin or other very thin sheet metal 15, between which a body of asbestos wool 16 is secured. This curtain in width, is approximately the length of the drum 12, and it is provided at its lower edge with a fold 17, preferably of woven wire or chain net-- "in;- cable 18, and as a convenient means for anchoring the unrolled e'nd of the curtain, a standard 19, having stead'ying legs 20, is provided. At its upper end, this standard 19 is provided with a guide sheave 21, over which the cable 18 is adapted to be assed. An anchoring 'cable 22 1s preferab y extended from the upper end of the standard 19 to a stake or other device by means of which it is secured to the ground.

Secured to the rear end portion of the truck frame 1, and spaced laterally far enough to permit the tower 4 to be moved pivotally down between the same, as shown 1n Fi 2, is a pair of upright pedestals 23, provided with guide sheaves 24, at their upper ends. Journaled, in the lower portions of. the pedestals 23; is a Windlass shaft 25, having at one end, an upright crank 26. A pair of cables 27 are secured at their lower ends to the endless shaft 25, and are passed upward, one over each of the guide sheaves 24 and at their upper ends are attached to the rear posts of the tower 4. By reference to Fig.- 3, it will be noted that by winding up the cable 27, the tower will be forced rearward'and causedto dro into the osition shown by full lines in ig'. 2; an by reference to said Fig. 2, it will be noted that when the tower is in its downturned inoperative position, it is suspended on the cables 27 so that it may be raised by winding of the said cables so nearly into a vertical position that its movement to a vertical position may be easily accomplished. A transverse rod 28, secured to the pedestals 23 above the Windlass shaft 25 limits the downward movement of the said tower 41. The numeral 29 indicates cables which may be secured to the ground to anchor the truck and hence, hold the tower against traveling movements. The lower flange or head of the Windlass drum 12 is shown as provided with radially projecting pins or end pieces 30 that adapt the said drum to be rotated to wind up or to assist in winding up the curtain. The numeral 31 indicates a pole or tongue applied to the front axle of the truck.

This improved apparatus is especially intended for use in towns or villages where the houses are small, one-story bungalows or shacks located close together and where water and eflicient fire extinguishing apparatus are not available. It may, however, be found serviceable elsewhere. In case of fire, this apparatus may be rapidly conveyed to the proper place where the curtain will be interposed between a burning house-and an adjacent house to prevent spreading of the fire.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with a truck, of a tower pivotally connected to said truck and adapted to be turned into an upright position, a Windlass drum mounted in upper and lower bearings 011 said tower, and a fireproof curtain wound on said drum and arranged to be unwound in a horizontal direction when said tower and drum are turned into a vertical position, substantially as dedescribed.

2. The combination with a truck, of a tower carried thereby, a Windlass drum mounted in said tower, and a fire proof curtain wound on said drum and provided with a folded flap at its lower edge adapted to be dropped when the curtain is unrolled, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a truck, of a tower pivotally mounted thereon and movable into an upright position, a Windlass drum mounted in said tower, a fire proof curtain wound on said drum and arranged to be unwound in a horizontal direction when said tower and drum are turned into a vertical position, a pair of pedestals secured to the truck frame and between which said tower is adapted to be dropped, a windlass shaft jonrnaled in the lower portions of said pedestals, guide sheaves in the upper portions of said pedestals and connections to said Windlass shaft and to said tower passed over said guide sheaves, and adapted to move said tower both from operative and from inoperative position, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LEONARD L. GOHEEN. Witnesses:

O. J. CLARK, E. R. HAINES. 

